"STRESS IS PROBLEMATIC - Part 2"

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds ...” (James 1:2) & “... for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20) [NIV]

Open: How would you define stress?

Back Ground Comments:

In the coming weeks we will have a list prepared for you to take home and apply. But, first let's look at three physical solutions and one practical solution that we can implement right away.

We see in the life of Elijah (1 Kings 18 & 19) … Four Simple Solutions To Stress:

     1. Eat  healthy. “All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was a cake of bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank ...” (vs. 5 & 6a) I have to confess to you that I have gained 5 of the 130 pounds that I have lost. I continue to work out, and am even enjoying working on the yard these days. But, my eating discipline has wavered. So, back to keeping a diary, counting my calories and choosing my food wisely.
     Vice Admiral Richard H. Carmona who was sworn in as the 17th Surgeon General of the United States Public Health Service on August 5, 2002, stated: “... people should not lose sight of the nation's biggest health threat: being overweight.” “... the fastest growing cause of illness and death in America today is being overweight or obese.” He noted that 300,000 die annually of health complications stemming directly from being overweight. Accordingly to the attorney general's office, two out of three Americans are overweight or obese, a 50% increase from a decade ago.
     Surgeon General Carmona asserted, “We are a treatment oriented society. We wait for people to get sick, and then we spend top dollar to make them healthy again.”
     In a USA Today article: It was reported that being overweight raises the risk of heart disease, diabetes and arthritis. There is also evidence that overweight and obese men and women have a higher risk of cancer of the esophagus, colon, liver, pancreas and kidneys. Eugenia Calle of the American Cancer Society stated, “We are at the same point now with obesity that we were with smoking in the mid-60's. We made smoking cessation a national priority as a society then, and we need to make maintaining a healthy weight a national priority now.” “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price." (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) [NLT]
     The problem lies not simply with the quantity of food we eat but with the quality of food that we eat.

     2. Move! “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.” (Hebrews 12:11) [NIV]
     According to the Mayo Clinic walking is a gentle, low-impact exercise that can ease you into a higher level of fitness and health. Walking is one of your body's most natural forms of exercise. It's safe, simple, doesn't require practice, and the health benefits are many. Walking can help you:

• Lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol (the "bad" cholesterol)

• Raise high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol (the "good" cholesterol)

• Lower your blood pressure

• Reduce your risk of or manage type 2 diabetes

• Manage your weight

• Improve your mood

• Stay strong and fit

• Have time for prayer and focus for the day

     3. Rest properly. “He ate and drank and then lay down again.” (v. 6b)
     This is some of the greatest advice Elijah can give us today. “I find that I experience less fatigue and frustration when I take care of myself. I have more energy to commit both to my ministry and to my wife. Sensible eating, along with regular exercise, has given me the energy I need to complete the tasks ahead of me. I know that God is my strength, but taking steps to handle stress appropriately helps sustain me to do what I have been called to. One of the very first things we need to do to overcome stress in our lives is to eat a properly balanced diet, exercise  and get plenty of rest.
     The solution is not only physical but it's also personal.

     4. Face your stress. Don’t ignore it, face it.

Explore: What are some problems that stress can cause in our life?

Get it: What do you think were the sources for stress in Elijah’s life? What do you think were the symptoms of stress in Elijah’s life?

Apply: What can you do to begin to lighten your stress?

Quoted from”Life Application Bible”, and Serendipity Bible